HLB Global Annual Review 2025
Message from our Global CEO
At HLB, our purpose is clear: to create a positive and sustainable impact for our clients, our people, and the communities we serve. Throughout the past year, this purpose has continued to guide our actions as we supported organisations navigating an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving business environment.
Across markets and industries, businesses are adapting to significant change driven by technological advancement, including the growing impact of AI, alongside economic uncertainty and evolving expectations of leadership and responsibility. In this environment, the role of trusted advisers becomes even more important. By combining deep local expertise with strong global collaboration, our network continues to help clients move forward with confidence.
Over the past year we continued to build momentum behind our global strategy, Innovative People. Brighter Futures. This strategy reflects our belief that long term success depends on embracing innovation in how we work and serve our clients.
This progress is reflected in the continued growth of our network. In 2025, HLB’s combined global revenue reached US$6.67 billion, a growth of 12% from 2024, representing another year of strong expansion across our member firms. Maintaining our position among the top ten global networks demonstrates the strength of our global community and the trust placed in us by organisations around the world.
Growth, however, is not our objective on its own. What matters most is how we grow. Our focus remains on sustainable development, responsible leadership, and creating long term value for the clients and communities we serve.
Advancing innovation and capability
Innovation continues to reshape the professional services landscape. At HLB, we believe it is essential that our people have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to embrace these changes and translate them into meaningful value for clients.
During the past year we invested significantly in building practical capabilities across the network. A key initiative was our global AI Masterclass programme, which brought together professionals from firms around the world to explore how artificial intelligence can support better insight, stronger decision making, and enhanced client service. Developing these capabilities across our network is a strategic priority as our profession continues to evolve.
Alongside this focus on learning, we also strengthened partnerships that support innovation and client value creation. Collaborations with organisations such as Platformed and McorpCX demonstrate our commitment to combining professional expertise with advanced technology and client experience insight. Through these initiatives, our firms are able to help organisations address complex challenges while identifying new opportunities for growth.
Innovation at HLB is driven by collaboration as well. By connecting expertise across our global network and encouraging open exchange of ideas, we create an environment where new thinking can develop and where our people continue to learn from one another.
Investing in people and inclusive leadership
Our people remain at the centre of everything we achieve as a network. Supporting their development and creating an environment where individuals feel valued and able to contribute fully is essential to our long term success.
This year we continued to strengthen our focus on inclusive leadership and belonging. Research initiatives exploring the relationship between neurodiversity and innovation reinforced the importance of diverse perspectives in driving creativity and problem solving. By recognising the value of different experiences and viewpoints, we strengthen both our culture and the quality of insight we bring to clients.
External recognition also reflects the progress being made across our network. HLB was once again named among the Global Most Loved Workplaces, highlighting the commitment of our firms to building cultures based on trust, collaboration, and flexibility.
On a personal level, I was honoured to receive the IAB Accounting Leader of the Year Award during the year. While this recognition is personally meaningful, I see it as a reflection of the dedication, professionalism, and shared values of our global community. Leadership at HLB has always been collective, and our achievements are the result of thousands of talented professionals working together with a shared sense of purpose.
Strengthening our global community
Collaboration remains one of HLB’s greatest strengths. Bringing our people together to share insight, strengthen relationships, and learn from one another plays an important role in the continued success of our network.
During the year we hosted several important gatherings across our network. Our Audit-Tax-Advisory Conference in Mexico City brought together professionals from across HLB to exchange expertise and explore the trends shaping our profession. Later in the year, leaders gathered at the Global Summit in Dubrovnik to reflect on our shared legacy and discuss the opportunities ahead. Alongside these global events, we continued to consolidate our programme of regional conferences, creating platforms where strategic priorities can be discussed in a regional context.
These events strengthen the connections that define HLB. By building strong relationships across borders, we ensure our clients benefit from both deep local understanding and the collective strength of our global network.
Looking ahead
As we look to the future, our priorities remain clear. We will continue to invest in innovation, support the development of our people, and strengthen collaboration across our global community.
At the same time, we remain firmly committed to our broader purpose. By helping organisations grow responsibly, supporting inclusive leadership, and contributing to stronger communities, we aim to create lasting value that extends well beyond our profession.
The achievements highlighted in this review reflect the collective efforts of our people around the world. I would like to thank our clients for their continued trust, and our teams across the network for their dedication, professionalism, and shared ambition.
Together, we continue to build a stronger HLB and create brighter futures for those we serve.
Message from our Global Chairman
Reflecting on the year
As I reflect on the past year, I do so with a strong sense of pride in the continued strength and resilience of our global network. This past year has been a period defined by ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
Through the turmoil, I am very proud that HLB has remained a trusted partner to clients while continuing to strengthen its position as a leading international organisation. This has been accomplished by continuing to be loyal to our principles and focusing on our people, our clients, and our communities.
This progress reflects not only our scale, but the strength of our global community, the unwavering culture of our members, and the values that guide how we work together. Across the network, our people continue to demonstrate professionalism, adaptability, and a clear commitment to supporting clients in a more demanding and uncertain environment.
A profession in transition
The environment in which we operate continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Advances in artificial intelligence, increasing regulatory scrutiny, and ongoing erratic economic and geopolitical pressures are reshaping how organisations make decisions and how they seek advice.
For firms such as ours, this represents a shift in expectations. Technical expertise remains essential, but it is no longer sufficient on its own. Clients are increasingly looking for advice that is well informed, connected, forward-looking, and grounded in a broader understanding of experience, risk, opportunity, and long-term value.
Trust is also becoming an increasingly important differentiator. As organisations navigate uncertainty, they depend on advisers who can provide clarity, sound judgement, and a balanced perspective.
The role of HLB
In this context, HLB’s strength lies in its ability to combine deep local knowledge with a truly international perspective. Our network is built on strong relationships, enabling our firms to work together seamlessly across borders and to support clients wherever they operate.
This collaborative approach is particularly important in a more fragmented and fast-changing global environment. It allows us to respond with agility while maintaining the consistency and quality that clients expect. It also reflects a defining characteristic of HLB: that the best outcomes are achieved when expertise is shared and perspectives are brought together.
Responsibility and long-term value
As the demands on our profession continue to grow, so too does our responsibility. The increasing use of technology brings significant opportunity, but also requires careful oversight to ensure that it is applied responsibly and with integrity.
Sustainability and long-term value creation also remain central to business decision-making. Organisations are under increasing pressure to balance performance with purpose and to demonstrate their impact across a wider set of stakeholders.
HLB is well positioned to support this shift. By maintaining a strong focus on governance, quality, and ethical leadership, we reinforce our role as a trusted adviser in an environment where confidence and credibility are essential.
Looking ahead
We are clearly seeing risks and uncertainty escalate as we look to the year ahead. However, I remain confident in the strength of our global network and in our ability to respond to the challenges and opportunities.
By continuing to focus on our people working collaboratively, responsible leadership, and providing the insight our clients need, HLB is well placed to build on its foundations and support long-term, sustainable growth for our people, our clients, and the communities we serve.
